Author's Notes: A year and a day after the last update, the story continues and the action escalates. I apologize to all who have been awaiting this next addition – it's been long overdue. However, in the time between then and now, I have honed my writing skills.
That being said, all errors in previous additions will be corrected by my next update, and in those corrections I've rewritten the story so that it is better than the original without modifying anything critical. Feel free to reread and refresh yourself if you read this story before; new readers, please enjoy!
Another note for you all; I'll keep it brief. I don't typically care much for shoutouts, but I would like to thank all of my reviewers who supported me during the time this tale was active and inactive. In particular, I'd like to thank JunoLuv and Storyteller125 for their consistency and quality with their helpful reviews. The former had helped establish my audience, and for that, I am forever in debt to her.
All that aside, there are some interesting things happening here in this two part chapter. So far, we've seen Sam has smoothly broken the rules for her plan. In the second half, expect Carly wanting nothing to do with the pair and Freddie receiving an interesting proposition. With no mediator, things will get ugly before they get better. Read on and review everybody! (For future reference, author's notes after this big update will be at the bottom.)
Best regards,
thewritershand
Sam's POV:
At times in life, there's nothing sweeter than the sound of the final school bell. As I heard its clang, I leapt out of my seat and hurried out of captivity. Fortunately, I cleared the door. Unfortunately, I encountered a Gibby in the hallway – a conversational Gibby intent on mindless crazy chatter.
"Hey Sam!" he greeted.
"What!" I spat. Grunting, I charged past him, but he insisted upon trouble:
"I was just saying 'hi'! What's your problem?"
"Freddie was, and now you are! Anything else you'd like to know, Giblock Holmes?"
"I wasn't asking for trouble…" he muttered. He frowned and looked at me incredulously.
Realizing I had perhaps been a tad harsh, I lightened up, although I refused to apologize. Instead, I politely sought some guidance:
"Good. Do you know where the prom committee is this afternoon?" I chimed.
"Uh, yeah. It's in the gym as always 'till five for the rest of the week" he noted.
"Thanks Gib" I commented. Waving goodbye, I marched on towards the gymnasium reviewing and revising my plan. As always, I knew the student council planned the prom every year. I don't care for color schemes and fancy themes – it's corny no matter the choice. However, I needed some rules bent for my plan to take effect.
Storming in, I saw blue and red streamers draped on the rafters, while two guys hoisted a large banner over the scoreboard. Rolling my eyes, I spotted a table for three in the corner: the student council officers' table.
"Hey Wendy" I stated in my nonchalant tone.
"Sam? Nice to see you. What's up?"
"Keep this between you and me alright?" I whispered. Placing my hands on the table, I placed my head next to Wendy's ear to keep the details confidential.
"I like secrets…" she giggled. "Keep going!"
"I have some options for prom dates -" I started.
"So I've seen! I'd pick Shane" she commented.
"No, no, I want to take Pete…" I lied. I wanted them both, for show, of course.
"Well, you know the rules, Sam! You can only take one date to prom. Student handbook, page whatever!" she giggled.
"Would you be willing to break the rules? Just once?" I pleaded.
"What? Sam! You can't hog all the hunks to yourself – it's not fair. You've already got Freddie as it is!" she pouted.
"Let me do it…" I started, but she cut me off.
"I afraid I can't!" she frowned, but I knew she'd do my bidding in time. She was easy:
"Break your dumb rules, and I'll let you have Shane for the night. Just let me take multiple dates. Okay?" I demanded. Shaking, I firmly stared at Wendy while she grinned in delight.
"Well, when you put it that way…" she whispered. I grinned as I knew she'd find our terms most agreeable.
"It's a deal. How do I tell the other council members? Carly's on this board too, you know!"
"I'll figure her out. Where's Germy? Isn't he on here too?"
"Yeah, he should be somewhere in the gym. Go figure things out with him – I'll keep at it here" Wendy finished. Winking, she gave me a nudge before returning back to her work.
"Nice doing business with 'ya" I muttered.
"The pleasure is all mine…" she replied.
With one member corrupted and down my pocket, I sought my next target. Finding the sickly tech boy wonder was quite the task, but I finally found him checking the speakers at the other end of the gym. For once, he wasn't sneezing profusely. Thank goodness…
"Hi Jeremy" I moaned. He snapped around in great shock and greater delight:
"Hi Sam!" he replied. Still congested, I see. Better that than mucus on me…
"Hey, could you do me a favor?" I asked.
"Uh…sure. What is it?"
"You see, you've got some power in those hands of yours…"
"I guess?" he replied in earnest confusion. He twirled the extension cord in hand and stared blankly at me.
"Ugh. Look. Make sure nobody from outside our school attends this prom, alright?" I said bluntly. I grew weary of beating around the bush – he wasn't a practitioner of subtly in the slightest.
"Why?"
"Do it!" I demanded, stomping my left foot forward.
He was taken aback, but the kid held his ground:
"I can't do that, Sam. It's not fair for everybody taking dates from other schools!" he whined.
"Why should you care? You're not even going, are you?" I snapped. Inwardly, I cringed at my cruel words; I was being too hasty and feisty, even for myself. I wanted this plan to work seamlessly though. After all, the ends justify the means.
"Yeah…" he grumbled. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked down.
"So you won't do it" I stated.
"No" he said flatly.
"Not even if I took you to prom? Showed you a good time?" I proposed. His eyes widened and his mouth fell open in a daze. Fumbling for words, he stuttered as they slowly spilled from his mouth like droplets from a leaky faucet:
"Y-you? Take. Take? Me to the…pr-pr-prom?" he managed to utter.
"Yes, along with some others. Whatcha say?"
"W-wait. There's others?" he asked.
"Don't question it. It's better than nothin'" I reasoned.
Nodding his head in agreement, he fled towards Wendy's table to likely tell him about his exciting tale. As he darted off, I left him with some key parting words:
"Oh yeah. Keep all this dirty business hush-hush. I don't want this getting out, you hear?" I snarled.
Nodding while running off, I knew the first portion of my plan had fallen into place. Failure will not be tolerated – I've already invested too much time and effort into this plan. Freddie will learn I can do fine without him, and that the opposite is far from true. He needs me. I don't need him.
Smiling, I strolled outside the gymnasium into the main corridor. It was quiet as ever – but I'm accustomed to loneliness in the afternoon here. Jocks often come through here after practice, as well as the losers coming from dorky clubs being held upstairs. My potential suitors, as the fancy would say, are all over the place right now. I could approach them one-by-one and ask them to prom, but explaining to them how they're one of many would be strange to do individually.
To complicate matters, I can't allow Carly to slip into the gym. I think she went home, but if she finds Wendy and Jeremy discussing my plan, my plan and I will be burnt toast with a side of rotten ham.
It didn't take long though before I decided to simply guard the door into the gym. As I paced back and forth, I texted Shane and Pete and told them meet me here when they could. It felt like hours waiting, but I checked my phone as I saw them come towards me. Five minute wait: not bad.
They both shot a greeting followed by a smile.
"Hey guys" I smiled. "You're both looking pretty good…" I commented. I tugged at Pete's shirt as Shane looked on at the sight with some confusion.
"Well, well. You're lookin' pretty great yourself" Pete commented. He winked, and I returned the gesture much to his delight.
"Thanks…" Shane replied. "Aren't you still going out with Freddie though?"
"Not anymore. We're through" I lied with bravado. Pleasantly surprised, but still weary of my motives, Shane continued his barrage of questions.
"I see. Why'd you want to meet me here along with Pete?"
"I wanted to see you'd like to bring me to prom!"
"Wait, both of us?" Shane asked.
"Sure! I thought it'd be exciting, and I know you guys like me!"
"I guess…" Shane contemplated.
"No. I'm totally not going to share dates dude. That's not cool" Pete objected. He folded his arms to show his blatant disapproval.
"I suppose I'll just take Shane alone then…" I suggested. Turning towards him, I saw him smile before he hid it away to feign objectivity.
"Whoa, hold on!" Pete whined.
"What?" I asked.
"I guess…we can share. If it's all good with Shane" he mumbled. He frowned at the thought, but he wanted a second date with me – even if he knew my attention would be split in half.
"Well, the last time 'sharing' me happened, it didn't work out…" Shane muttered.
"Your point? I can dual date, you can't. You in, or out?"
Placed on the spot, he crumbled:
"I'm in" he stated. Pete, now more comfortable with the concept, nodded his head in approval.
"I guess we'll see you later..?" Shane noted.
Nodding my head with a beaming smile, I told them I'd text them tonight. Satisfied enough with my flirty answer, the two guys parted ways. Phase two of my plan fell into place. Only one more step to go with Carls, and Freddie will get what's coming to him.